Ecuador has had a school meal programme since 1999, which is led by the Ministry of Education and implemented by the National Educational Authority in coordination with the Health Authority and the Agrarian Authority at the national level. Currently, the programme covers approx. 2.8 million students from 12,800 primary and secondary schools in the country. 

In 2015, the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Education published a series of mandatory regulations and measures to regulate the sale of snacks in school cafeterias. Some of the snacks that can be found are “chochos” with toasted corn, green plantain empanadas, “chifles”, cheese empanadas, sandwiches, fruit yoghurt, etc. 

 Additionally, in 2020 the school feeding law was published. Its main objectives are to: 

• Ensure that the human right to adequate food and permanent endowment for school-aged girls, boys and adolescents is fully exercised; 

• Contribute to the prevention and eradication of malnutrition, through the promotion of healthy eating habits in the school; 

• Ensure the safety, quality and control of food that is sold and distributed in schools; 

The school feeding law is applicable throughout the National Education System and regulates the activities related to food and nutrition of children and adolescents from pre-primary to grade 10 of Basic General Education and secondary schoolchildren from public and private institutions. 

The school meal programme is implemented through two modalities: the general modality, in which a solid and liquid ration is daily supplied to all public schools nationwide; and the territorial modality, in which fresh products are prepared for rural schools with family participation.  In this modality, the menus are prepared weekly following the general recommendations from the school meal programme nutritionists, and considering local food produced by farmers in the area. Nutritionists within NGOs supporting the implementation of the pilot projects are in charge of reviewing the menus before they are rolled out. Families organize to prepare meals directly in the schools or privately hire a cook. The territorial modality has been piloted in 118 schools. 

The rations provided through the general modality consist of five different “food and drink packages” prepared and fortified with vitamins and minerals (Vit A, D, E, C, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vit B6, Niacin, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12, Iron, Zinc, etc.) following WHO fortification safety guidelines. In 2023, these combinations are in the process of review and update. Eleven “food and drink packages” are expected to be implemented by the end of 2023. 

The technical sheets of these products, which detail their characteristics, nutritional values and safety conditions, are prepared by the National Educational Authority, the Agrarian Authority and the decentralized autonomous governments, following the nutritional requirements established by the National Health Authority (entity belonging to the Ministry of Public Health) and taking as a reference the Food-Based Dietary Guidelines of the Ecuadorian population.  

Updates in recent years within the school meal programme and the supply of these pre-packaged products address changes in the caloric percentage of food rations (for example, increase from 500 ml of milk to 600 ml), improvements in the contribution and protein composition (supply of cereals, Andean tubers, legumes of high biological value) and the experiences provided by the pilot projects in this area. 

Regarding the monitoring of the programme at the school level, for the general modality, there is a school feeding committee, made up of the highest authority of the school, two representatives of the student council and two representatives of the central committee of parents, who is in charge of ensuring the proper use, handling, service and conservation of products intended for school feeding. The territorial modality, being piloted in a limited number of schools, does not yet have this organizational structure. At the national level, the National Health Authority, through its decentralized units and in coordination with the National Education Authority, monitors the growth of schoolchildren that are part of the school meal programme at the beginning and end of the school year (weight, height, general check-up and follow-up).  

The government plans to expand the territorial modality to all schools where there is the institutional capacity to do so, leaving the general modality only for schools with a wide geographical dispersion or with special needs that justify it. 

Through FAO-Brazil's cooperation with the Sustainable School Feeding Network (RAES) support has been given to the school meal programme through technical training and exchange of experiences. In 2021, a pilot project for the supply of fresh fruit was carried out in 96 schools in the Canton of Portoviejo. Currently, FAO Ecuador is working on scaling this initiative to five additional cantons. 

Sale of food in schools 

• The portions offered in the school cafeteria must be in accordance with the age of the student. Below are the serving sizes by food group. 

Source: Internal Management of the Promotion of Nutrition, Security and Food Sovereignty 2014 

If school cafeterias have industrially processed foods for sale, they must bear a printed label indicating their high, medium, or low sugar, fat, and salt content, following the regulations on labelling processed foods for human consumption that apply throughout the country. 

The regulation also prohibits companies that manufacture or distribute processed or ultra-processed food and beverages from marketing or advertising activities within schools (for example, launch activities, and promotion of their products).  

To ensure compliance with this regulation, there is a school cafeteria committee made up of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Public Health and the Health Regulation and Control Agency. Likewise, training is carried out for those responsible for school cafeterias, on healthy eating issues, as well as awareness-raising events with the communities around the schools.